James Spader to Play Ultron in ‘Avengers’ Sequel

Not ready to cede the spotlight to DC Comics and Warner Bros., Marvel Studios made a casting splash of its own Friday when it announced that James Spader will play the villain in the sequel to 2012′s $1.5 billion-grossing blockbuster “The Avengers.”

Mr. Spader, an Emmy winner who will star in NBC’s “The Blacklist” this fall, will play Ultron, an evil and insane sentient robot who first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics in the 1960s. Ultron, according to the comics, was created by scientist Henry Pym, also known to fans as Ant-Man.

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